Coke Smith Photography & Travelogue

Curriculum Vitae for Coke Smith



 

Curriculum Vitae

Alexander Coke Smith V

naturetraveler@msn.com

csmith@portangelesschools.org

 

Education

M.S. in Conservation Biology, California State University at Sacramento, 1989.  Marda West, advisor.  Thesis title:  Plant Insect Relationships of Baccharis sarothroides Gray in Madera Canyon, Arizona. Academic concentration in Evolutionary Biology.

B.A. in Biology, California State University at Fresno, 1987.  Academic emphases in Biology & Japanese Language (Linguistics).

A.A. in Travel & Tour Operations, College of Dupage, 1982.

 

Teaching Experience

(see links for specific syllabi)

Port Angeles High School, Port Angeles, WA (1999-Present)

Instructed high school courses as follows:

  • Japanese Language (1st through 4th Year) (1999-Present)
  • AP Japanese Language (2009)
  • Spanish Language – 1st year (1999-Present)
  • Biology (2002-2007)
  • Integrated Science (2008-2009)
  • AP Biology (2009-Present)
  • Marine Biology (2006-Present)
  • Environmental Studies (2006-2007)

City University, Seattle WA (2004-2006)

Instructed the following graduate-level courses to students enrolled in teaching credential program:

Peninsula College, Port Angeles, WA (2001-Present)

Developed and instructed the following courses:

The following are a series of courses titled, World’s Wildest Places, that featured various parts of the world and discussed in photo-essay form the ecology, wildlife and conservation issues of the regions being discussed:

Florin High School, Elk Grove Unified School District, Sacramento, Ca (1987-1999)

Part of the founding staff that developed & implemented the following courses:

  • Japanese Language (1st through 4th year) (first successful Japanese language program in northern California)
  • AP Biology (78% average annual AP exam pass rate)
  • Biology 10
  • Physical-Earth Science
  • FOSS Steering Committee member
  • Mentor Teacher status (1989 – 1998)

Sierra College, Rocklin, CA (1993-1999)

Instructed the following major’s courses:

  • Biology for Biology Majors
  • Anatomy & Physiology for Pre-med Majors
  • Natural History of Point Reyes National Seashore
  • Natural History of Death Valley National Park
  • Natural History of Joshua Tree & Mojave National Monuments
  • Natural History of Anza Borrego State Park
  • Natural History of Redwoods National Park

Cosumnes River College, Sacramento, CA (1990-1999)

Instructed the following pre-med major’s course:

  • Biology 24: Anatomy & Physiology (1st semester)
  • Biology 25: Anatomy & Physiology (2nd semester)

Delta College, Stockton, CA (1991-1992)

Instructed the following major’s course:

  • Biology for Biology Majors

 

 

Special Skills

Fluent in Japanese Language. Moderately proficient in Vietnamese, Thai and Spanish.  Accomplished photographer (www.cokesmithphototravel.com) and technologically very literate with proficiencies in many software programs and applications.

 

Publications

Smith, A. C. 1989.  Plant Insect Relationships of Baccharis sarothroides Gray in Madera Canyon, Arizona. Thesis Publications, CSU Sacramento Press.

Smith, A. C., 1988. Activities Guide for Foreign Language Instruction. Elk Grove Unified School District Publications.

Dinh, M. L., Smith, A. C. 1997.  Vietnamese Language & Culture Level I. Cosumnes River Press, Los Rios Community College District, Sacramento, California.

Dinh, M. L., Smith, A. C.  1997.  Vietnamese Language & Culture Level II. Cosumnes River Press, Los Rios Community College District, Sacrament, California

Howard, K. K, Smith A. C. (contributing author and editor). 1990. Passages: An Anthology of the Southeast Asian Refugee Experience. Fresno State University Press.

Sukjaroen, S., Smith, A. C. 2008. Secrets of Thai Cooking. Self Published.

 

Photo Credits

La Selva Expeditions Travel Guide, 1997.  (Provided all images for travel brochure)

Sony Corp. 1997.  (Provided images for “It’s a Sony.” marketing campaign.

Budweiser Beer Corp. 1997-1998. (Provided images for Budweiser conferences and brochures)

Olympic National Park, 2008.  (Photographer for Fisher Reintroduction Project with publications in The Bugler and national park websites.)

NOAA, National Marine Sanctuaries, 2008.  (Multiple photo credits in NOAA NMS of the West Coast periodical.)

Sequim Gazette, Sequim, WA, 2007-Present. (Regular contributor of wildlife images for local newspaper.)

Peninsual Daily News, Port Angeles, WA, 2007-Present. (Regular contributor of wildlife images for local newspaper.)

Ethnobotanical Guide Book for Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, 2009 (Provided all images for a detailed ethnobotany guide for the Elwha Klallam Tribe in Washington State.)

 

Awards

Most Inspirational Teacher Award. Elk Grove Unified School District, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997. (Highest honor presented to teachers by valedictorian students at graduation.)

NOAA LiMPETs Training Scholarship. NOAA, 2004. (All expense paid training expedition to Santa Barbara and Channel Islands National Park for select Marine Biology instructors to learn research protocols for field research.)

National Endowment of the Humanities. NEH Endowment, 1995-1996.  (Award given for further study of the Japanese Language and culture.  Involved all-expense paid educational opportunities at San Francisco State University & Tokyo, Japan.)

Study Abroad Scholarship for Study in Japan. California State University Grant, 1984-1985 (Grant received for study in Japan for one academic year.)

Dean’s Medal Finalist. Calfornia State University Fresno, 1987. (Reached the finalist competition for the top ten graduates based in GPA from CSU Fresno.)

Phi Kappa Phi MedalistCalifornia State University, Fresno, 1987.  (Medal awarded based on academic accomplishments during undergraduate studies.)

 

Professional Private Sector Experience

La Selva Expeditions, Elk Grove, CA moved to Port Angeles, WA (1994-Present)

Owner and operator of successful ecotour and education tour company during which I have personally guided the following tours (check links for exact itinerary):

 

Many other tours were designed and implemented but the above represent the tours I personally guided.

 

Lectures and Talks

Teaching the Sciences in American Public Schools. 1996. California State University Sacramento, Brown Bag Seminar Series.

The Sky Islands of Southeastern Arizona. 1997.  California Academy of Sciences Biology Forum, San Francisco California.

Birds of Brazil, 1995. Sacramento Audubon Society.

Birds of Europe, 1995.  Sacramento Audubon Society.

Birds of Australia, 1996.  Sacramento Audubon Society.

Birding Expeditions Around the World, 1996. Sausalito Audubon Society.

Benefits of Ecotourism if Done Correctly. 1995-1997.  Talk done at New York, Chicago & Madison Travel Expos.

Birds of Russia. 2008. Dungeness Audubon Society.

Birds of Scandinavia. 2008. Dungeness Audubon Society.

Birds of Southeast Asia. 2009. Dungeness Audubon Society.

Nature Photography: Images & Techniques. 2009. North Olympic Photo Club.

 

The following talks were part of the Sierra College Natural History Museum natural history lecture series:

Viet Nam 20 Years After. 1994 (A photo-essay depicting the newly opened-to-the-west Viet Nam and the current state of it wildlife, nature and society.)

Expedition to the Pantanal. 1995

The Komodo Dragons of Indonesia. 1995

Nature and Wildlife Wonders of the Okavango Delta. 1998.

Making a Living at the Expense of Nature. 1994-1998.  (Regular presentation on the global ecological impacts of human populations and their over exploitation of the natural ecosystems.)

The Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda. 1995, 96, 98.  (Regular presentation on the state of the Susa group of gorillas in Rwanda.  This talk has also been presented in many other venues.)

 

The following talks were part of a popular travelogue series titled Winter Wanderlust that were presented on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington.

Expedition to Kuril Islands, Russia. Fort Worden, Port Townsend, 2008.

Expedition to Svalbard in the High Arctic. Sequim Winter Wanderlust, 2008.

Expedition to Primorye: In Search of the Siberian Tiger & the Amur Leopard. Port Angeles Winter Wanderlust Series, 2008

The Nature of Northern Japan. 2008.  Port Angeles Travelers Association Series.

Expedition to Lake Baikal. 2008.  Port Angeles Travelers Association Series.

Expedition to Borneo. Fort Worden, Port Townsend & Sequim Winter Wanderlust, 2009.

Expedition to Wild Thailand. Port Angeles Winter Wanderlust, 2009.

Expedition to Madagascar & Southern Africa. Fort Worden, Port Townsend. 2010.

 

The following talks were delivered as part of a Free Thinkers Society lecture series and in conjunction with Peninsula College, Port Angeles, WA.

Evolution & the Scientific Method. 2008.  Sequim Public Library & Free Thinkers.  (A frank discussion on what exactly evolution says, its evidence and how the scientific method supports it.)

The Current Debate Over Evolution 200 Years After Darwin’s Birth. 2009.  Keynote address during Darwin Days, a week-long event at Peninsula College, Port Angeles, WA commemorating Darwin’s birthday.

The Scientific Method: Why Science is Not Faith. 2010.  (A discussion of the fallacy of science being just as faith-based as creationism.)

 

Professional Affiliations

  • Biological Sciences Teachers Association
  • Ecotourism Society
  • Washington State Teachers Association
  • National Educators Association

 

Be sure to visit our Photo Galleries for spectacular images of our travels! (Pbase Galleries)